1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector connecting structure in which movable moving members are provided at one of male and female connectors, and an operating member, interlocked to the moving members, is provided at the one connector, and by operating this operating member, the two connectors can be fitted together with a small operating force.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector connecting structure of the above type (see Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 10-12320) which is shown in FIGS. 10 to 16(b) has been proposed. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing male and female connectors separated from each other, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the male and female connectors fitted together, and FIG. 12 is an exploded, perspective view of the male connector.
In FIGS. 10 to 12, the connector connecting structure comprises the male connector 1 and the female connector 2, and the male connector 1 can be inserted and fitted into the female connector 2. The male connector 1 has a hood portion 4 formed on an outer periphery of a male housing 3, and moving member chambers 5, as well as connector insertion chambers 6 communicating respectively with the moving member chambers 5, are formed respectively at upper and lower portions of the hood portion 4. Each of the moving member chambers 5 has an open end 7a (for inserting the moving member) at one side surface (end surface) of the male connector, and also has guide ports 7b at a connector-fitting side (front side) of the male connector. Each of the connector insertion chambers 6 has an insertion port 8 at the connector-fitting side.
A pair of moving members 9a and 9b are movably received in the upper and lower moving member chambers 5, respectively. Three cam grooves 10a are formed in the moving member 9a whereas three cam grooves 10b are formed in the moving member 9b. A central portion of the cam groove 10a or 10b is inclined relative to a connector-fitting direction, and the direction of inclination of the cam grooves 10a in the upper moving member 9a is opposite to the direction of inclination of the cam grooves 10b in the lower moving member 9b.
A pin portion 11 is formed at one end of each of the moving members 9a and 9b, and these pin portions 11 are rotatably supported respectively in slots 12a formed in an operating member 12. The pair of slots 12a are disposed at respective positions shifted relative to a direction perpendicular to the connector-inserting direction, and extend on a line interconnecting the pair of slots 12a and 12a. The operating member 12 has a rotation hole 12b disposed at a middle point of the line interconnecting the pair of slots 12a, and a pin portion 13a of an operating-member mounting portion 13 of the hood portion 4 is fitted in the rotation hole 12b. The operating member 12 is turned or pivotally moved between a preset position shown in FIG. 13(a), and a set position shown in FIG. 16(a), and the pair of moving members 9a and 9b are moved respectively in the opposite directions by this turning operation.
A number of press-connecting terminals (female terminals) 14 are fixedly mounted at a central portion of the male housing 3 of the male connector 1, and pin insertion holes (not designated by a reference numeral) are formed in the connector-fitting side or surface of the male housing 3, and are aligned respectively with the press-connecting terminals 14.
Three cam pins 16a are formed on an upper surface of an insertion portion 15a of a female housing 15 of the female connector 2 whereas three cam pins 16b are formed on a lower surface thereof. The upper cam pins 16a are arranged to correspond respectively to the cam grooves 10a in the moving member 9a whereas the lower cam pins 16b are arranged to correspond respectively to the cam grooves 10b in the moving member 9b. A number of pin terminals (male terminals) 17 are fixedly mounted at a central portion of the female housing 15, and one end portions of these pin terminals 17 project outwardly from a connector-fitting side of the female housing.
Next, the fitting operation of the above connector connecting structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 13(a) to 16(b). FIGS. 13(a), 14(a), 15(a) and 16(a) mainly show the position of the operating member 12, and FIGS. 13(b), 14(b), 15(b) and 16(b) are plan views corresponding respectively to the above figures, and show the relation between the cam grooves 10a and the cam pins 16a and the relation between the cam grooves 10b and the cam pins 16b.
As shown in FIG. 13(a), the operating member 12 is disposed in the preset position in which its distal end is spaced from the upper surface of the hood portion 4. In this condition, when the insertion portion 15a of the female housing 15 of the female connector 2 is inserted into the hood portion 4 of the male connector 1, the cam pins 16a are introduced respectively into the cam grooves 10a in the moving member 9a through the respective guide ports 7b in the hood portion 4 while the cam pins 16b are introduced respectively into the cam grooves 10b in the moving member 9b through the respective guide ports 7b. When the operating member 12 is turned from the position of FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b) toward the set position, the upper moving member 9a is moved right (as indicated by arrow R) while the lower moving member 9b is moved left (as indicated by arrow L). In accordance with these movements, the cam pins 16a and 16b on the female connector 2 move respectively along the cam grooves 10a and 10b, and simultaneously with this movement, the female connector 2 is drawn into the male connector 1.
When the operating member 12 is further turned from the position of FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b), each cam pin 16a or 16b on the female connector 2 passes through the inclined portion of the associated cam groove 10a or 10b as shown in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b), so that the movement of the female connector 2 relative to the male connector 1 in the inserting direction is completed. The pin terminals 17 in the female connector 2 are inserted respectively in the press-connecting terminals 14 in the male connector 1, so that the two connectors 1 and 2 are electrically connected together.
When the operating member 12 is further turned from the position of FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) into the set position as shown in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), each cam pin 16a or 16b reaches the inner end of the associated cam groove 10a or 10b, so that the fitting operation of the connector connecting structure is completed. A connector disconnecting operation can be effected by turning the operating member 12 in a direction opposite to the above-described direction.
In the conventional connector connecting structure, however, the fitting operation is started with the operating member 12 located in the preset position, and when this fitting operation s finished, the operating member 12 is located in the set position. Therefore, the rotational position of the operating member 12 at the time of starting the fitting operation is different from that at the time of finishing the fitting operation. Therefore, when the fitting operation is to be started with the operating member 12 kept in the set position, the operating member 12 must be once turned into the preset position before this fitting operation is effected. Thus, the fitting operation has been cumbersome. Generally, the place, at which the connector connecting structure is produced, is different from the place where the connector connecting structure is assembled, and therefore the connector connecting structure is transferred or conveyed with the operating member 12 kept in a compact condition, that is, in the set position, and this makes the fitting operation cumbersome. The same can be said with the disconnecting operation, and the operating member 12 need to be returned to the lever set position after the two connectors are disconnected from each other.